This Is Just The Beginning

Chapter 6

~Stella's POV~
I started to flutter my eyes open. All I could hear was beeping. I began to slowly open my eyes and tried to take some deep breaths, but it hurt to breathe.

"Hey, it's ok. You're alright..." I heard a voice. I looked and saw Severide there.
I didn't know what to do. I was shocked and also confused.

I looked around and saw I was at Med.
"What?.... What happened?" I asked.
"We were in that house fire, you were the last one in the building... and you were on the second floor and it just crumbled." He explained to me.

My first thought was about Bella.
"Can you get Dr. Manning in here?" I asked Severide.
"It's ok, Dr. Manning already checked the baby. Everything's ok." He told me.
I was super shocked to hear him say that.

"How- how do you know about that?" I asked him.
"I was in the ambo with Dawson in the back. We had to take off your sweater and cut off your shift to make sure you had no visible injuries.... And then we just saw your stomach..." he explained to me.
I didn't know what to think or even how to react to the fact that he knew that I'm pregnant.

"Um... who else knows?" I asked him.
"Just Dawson and I. Don't worry, and when we wheeled you in, Dawson made sure to cover your stomach to hide it until we got you in the room." He explained to me.

I nodded my head.
Then I thought of something... or rather, someone... Grant.
"Um... has anyone called my husband?" I asked.
"No, you had me as your emergency contact... and then I noticed something and I thought it would be better if we held off on calling him." He explained.
I was a bit confused, but relieved at the fact that they didn't call Grant.

"You're my emergency contact?" I asked him.
"Yea, I was a little surprised too.." he chuckled.
"Oh... yea.. it was from when we met each other before I was married... you were the only one I trusted..." I said.
"I'm just glad I noticed something before I made April call your husband." He told me.

"But... why didn't you? What did you notice?" I asked him.
He looked at me, then down at his feet. He took a deep breath before he spoke again.
"Stella... is someone hurting you?" He asked me.

I didn't know what to say to that.
"What?" I asked.
"Is someone hurting you? Is your husband?" He asked me.
I didn't know what to say. I know that no matter what I say, or what lie I try and come up with, he won't believe me.

I didn't say anything at first and just looked down at my stomach. Then I spoke again.
"What... what made you wonder this?" I asked him.

"Well... in the ambo, Dawson and I noticed a bruise you had on your ribs. Then, as Dawson was checking the rest of your body for injuries, she took off your makeup and we saw the rest of the bruises and hand marks on your face and neck... we were both very concerned. When we came here. I was talking to April about trying to contact your husband, but then before she did that, I realized that everything kinda fit and... I figured it all out on my own.." he explained.

I looked at him, shocked that he figured this all out, and upset at the same time.
I looked down at my stomach and had tears falling down my face.

"Stella..." Severide put his hand on my shoulder. "Are you safe at home?" He asked me.
I looked up at him. I thought about it for a moment, then I shook my head.
"Help me... I can't bring my daughter into that home..." I whispered to him and broke down in tears.

He came closer and I buried my face into his shoulder and cried.
"It's ok.. it's ok... I'll help you..." he told me.
I pulled away from him.
"How?" I wiped my tears.

He thought for a moment.
"How... how about you come and live with me? I have a spare bedroom in my apartment. I'll probably need to baby proof a few things and hide the beer, but... it would be a good place for you and your daughter. You can stay there as long as you need to.." he explained.

I was hesitant at first.
"Are you sure? I don't wanna bother you or anything.." I said.
"You won't be a bother, just as long as you're safe. That's all that matters." He smiled at me and moved the hair out of my face.

I smiled at him and nodded.
"Thanks Severide..." I sniffled and hugged him.
"No problem..." he chuckled.

I felt a pain in my head and it sort of hurt to breath again.
"So.. what's the damage?" I asked Severide, lying back onto the gurney.
"Nothing really. You're gonna be sore and probably have some migraines for a few days. Doc says you shouldn't be at work for about a week." He told me.

"How long do I have to be here for?" I asked him.
"Only a couple hours.... How about when you leave, we can head back to my place and get you comfortable? I already took off the rest of shift and we can just talk." He explained.

I smiled and nodded my head.
"Thanks Kelly..." I smiled.
"Of course... is this why you were always so secret about your life?" He asked me.

I nodded my head.
"Yea... there... wasn't much to say about my life... and I never felt good. I'm constantly scared and on high alert because of my home life... work is my only escape from home... I know I have to stop working soon... but I don't want to because then I'm forced to always be at home..." I explained, with some tears falling.

"Is he controlling?" He asked me.
I nodded my head.
"It's always a fight with him... any little thing always turns into a fight... and since I've been pregnant, we've been getting into more and more fights..." I keep on explaining.

"It's ok... I'm gonna help you..." he told me.
I buried my face in my hands.
"I need to get out of there... I can't bring my daughter home to that house..." I said.
He wrapped his arms around me and rubbed my back.
"It's ok... you're safe now..." he told me.

I realized how safe I felt with him.
It's the first time I've felt safe in a while.

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